Temporal responses of soil biological characteristics to organic inputs and mineral fertilizers under wheat cultivation in inceptisol

A 2-year field experiment was conducted in wheat ecosystem to assess the key soil biological characteristics in inceptisols of northeastern region of India. Nine treatments using organic inputs (farmyard manure and vermicompost) and mineral fertilizers were applied by modulating the doses of organics and mineral N fertilizer. Soil enzymes (urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and arylsulphatase), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), bacteria and fungi populations were measured before seed sowing (GS₁), at flowering stage (GS₂) and after harvest (GS₃) of wheat, whereas total organic carbon (TOC) was studied at GS₃. GS₂ recorded significantly higher soil enzyme activities, except FDA, which increased considerably at GS₃. Enzyme activities, available N and TOC significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced with application of organic inputs even with reduced (50%) mineral N. Except urease and phosphatase, other enzymes did not respond significantly to mineral fertilization. Vermicompost application increased mean enzyme activities, MBC, microbial growth and TOC fractions (particulate organic carbon, humic acid and fulvic acid carbon) than farmyard manure. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) positive correlations (r = 0.61–0.87) were obtained between TOC and its fractions with studied soil enzymes. Thus, in conclusion, 5 t ha^–1 organics incorporation (especially vermicompost) in wheat fertility programme can uphold soil biological health, reduce (50%) N application and would be a sustainable option for wheat grown in inceptisols of northeastern region of India.     

Antimicrobial and micro Raman spectroscopy of selected Zingiberaceae species from Northeast India

Antimicrobial activity of crude rhizome oils from some important members of Zingiberaceae from Northeast India was carried out in the present study. The plants used were Curcuma amada, C. longa, Zingiber moran, and Z. zerumbet. Rhizomes of the four species were collected and rhizome oil was extracted using six different polar and non-polar solvents. The antimicrobial property of the crude oil was studied against human pathogens using disc-diffusion and viability assay. The rhizome oil of all the 24 extracts exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against all pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains tested. Hydrodistilled fractions of the four species studied showed better effect among all solvents. Water extract of Z. moran was found to be the highest effective antimicrobial agent of all. Antibacterial effect of the water fractions was also characterized against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using micro Raman spectroscopy. This investigation shows that the essential oils from the wild and domestic species of the family Zingiberaceae from Northeast India are a potential source of bioactive compounds with tremendous medicinal, economic, and therapeutic value. The wild and endemic species Z. moran represents an interesting and promising source of plant-derived antimicrobial agent in the development of new drugs against pathogens.     

Timed artificial insemination in crossbred mares: Reproductive efficiency and costs

Timed artificial insemination (TAI) has boosted the use of conventional artificial insemination (CAI) by employing hormonal protocols to synchronize oestrus and ovulation. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a hormonal protocol for TAI in mares, based on a combination of progesterone releasing intravaginal device (PRID), prostaglandin (PGF_2α) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); and compare financial costs between CAI and TAI. Twenty-one mares were divided into two groups: CAI group (CAIG; n = 6 mares; 17 oestrous cycles) and TAI group (TAIG; n = 15 mares; 15 oestrous cycles). The CAIG was subjected to CAI, involving follicular dynamics and uterine oedema monitoring with ultrasound examinations (US), and administration of hCG (1,600 IU) when the dominant follicle (DF) diameter's ≥35 mm + uterine oedema + cervix opening. The AI was performed with fresh semen (500 × 10⁶ cells), and embryo was recovered on day 8 (D8) after ovulation. In TAI, mares received 1.9 g PRID on D0. On D10, PRID was removed and 6.71 mg dinoprost tromethamine was administered. Ovulation was induced on D14 (1,600 IU of hCG) regardless of the DF diameter's, and AI was performed with fresh semen (500 × 10⁶ cells). On D30 after AI, pregnancy was confirmed by US. The pregnancy rate was 80.0% in TAIG and 82.3% in CAIG (p > .05). The TAI protocol resulted in 65% reduction in professional transport costs, and 40% reduction in material costs. The TAI was as efficient as CAI, provided reduction in costs and handlings, and is recommended in mares.     

Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) Inoculation on Growth and Flowering in Crossandra infundibuliformis (L.) Nees

Commercially important ornamental flowering plant Crossandra infundibuliformis (L.) Nees. commonly known as ‘Fire cracker’ plant was evaluated for the possible effects of inoculation of different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungal species on growth, yield, flower quality, and phosphorus (P) nutrition. Five pure cultures of AM species, Acaulospora laevis, A. scrobiculata, Glomus coremioides, G. intraradices and Gigaspora albida and an un-inoculated control were used. Mycorrhizal inoculation showed positive effect on plant height, early flowering, increased flower number, increased flower weight, reduced fresh weight loss over 24 h, increased leaf P concentration, and increased total dry weight compared to un-inoculated control. The studies indicate mycorrhizal inoculation can enhance commercial flower production of this plant. Glomus intraradices proved to be the most efficient AM fungal bioinoculant and thus have the potential to enhance commercial flower production of this plant.     

Forest Villagers in Northeastern Hill Forests of Bangladesh: Examining Their Livelihoods,Livelihood Strategies and Forest Conservation Linkages

Even though many forest villagers have been living on forest department land and serving the department in the northeastern hill forests region of Bangladesh since the early 1950s, their livelihood has not yet been fully explored. This paper examines the livelihoods of forest villagers (Khasia ethnic people) and their contribution to forest conservation, using data from the Sylhet forest division. The forest villagers are well-endowed with all the elements of a sustainable livelihoods framework, though human capital in terms of education is not satisfactory. Strong social capital, stable natural capital and a productive market-oriented agroforestry system facilitate the generation of financial and physical capital that make the livelihoods of Khasia people sustainable. At the same time, their reciprocal contributions in terms of forest protection and plantation development support forest conservation. However, some institutional issues such as insecure land tenure with regular agreement renewal problems need to be resolved for the sake of their livelihoods and forest conservation. Lessons learned from the study can be utilized in formulating future participatory forest management schemes in the country.     

Genotyping safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) cultivars by DNA fingerprints

Summary Carthamus tinctorius (2n = 2x = 24) (family Asteraceae), commonly known as safflower, is widely cultivated in agricultural production systems of Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas as a source of high-quality vegetable and industrial oil. India ranks first in the production of safflower oil. Fourteen cultivars, widely cultivated in various agro-climatic regions of India, have been fingerprinted by RAPD, ISSR, and AFLP markers utilizing 36, 21 primers, and 4 primer combinations, respectively. On an individual assay basis, AFLP has proven to be the best marker system as compared with the other two markers applied as assessed by high discriminating power (0.98), assay efficiency index (33.2), marker index (18.2), resolving power (40.62), and genotype index (0.856). Thirty-six RAPD and 21 SSR primers could differentiate a maximum of eight and four cultivars, respectively, whereas, two AFLP primer combinations could fingerprint all the 14 cultivars. To understand genetic relationships among these cultivars, Jaccard's similarity coefficient and UPGMA clustering algorithm were applied to the three marker data sets. Mean genetic similarities ranged from 0.689 (AFLP) to 0.952 (ISSR). Correlation coefficient comparisons between similarity matrices and co-phenetic matrices obtained with the three markers revealed that AFLP displayed no congruence vis-a-vis RAPD and ISSR data. However, strong correlation was observed between RAPD and ISSR marker systems. This paper reports the start of molecular biology programme targeting nuclear genome of safflower, a major world oilseed crop about whose genetics very little is known.     

Genetic resistance derived from Solanum pimpinellifolium AAU2019 is monogenic recessive to tomato leaf curl virus

Tomato leaf curl disease is a severe threat to tomato production. Yield losses are generally high in the absence of effective management strategies. The disease is caused by tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) and is transmitted by a whitefly vector that is challenging to control. Resistance to ToLCV is absent from most cultivated tomato gene pools, although the use of resistant cultivars would provide a better control option than minimizing the vector population. Unfortunately, resistance sources based on field screening break down when virus pressure is severe. Our previous screening and virus testing of 40 tomato genotypes led to the identification of a highly resistant genotype, Solanum pimpinellifolium AAU2019, as a new source of resistance. In this study, we investigated the inheritance and genetics of resistance to ToLCV in the cross of Pusa Ruby × S. pimpinellifolium AAU2019 in F₂ and BC₁P_s populations, revealing a monogenic recessive gene (best-fit ratios of resistance: susceptible to be 1:3 and 0:1) responsible for ToLCV resistance in S. pimpinellifolium AAU2019. Hence, S. pimpinellifolium AAU2019 could be considered as a potential donor parent in breeding programmes to develop tomato cultivars with resistance to ToLCV.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of lingual antimicrobial peptide cDNA of Bubalus bubalis

Antimicrobial peptides form a crucial component of innate immune system, making it a highly effective first line of defense in animals. In the study, lingual antimicrobial peptide cDNA of Bubalus bubalis has been characterized. The characterized cDNA has complete ORF of 195 bases. The signal sequence of buffalo LAP comprised of N-terminal 1-20 amino acids and mature peptide from 23-64 amino acids. The percentage of similarity of buffalo LAP and buffalo EBD at nucleotide and amino acid level was 96.4% and 92.3% respectively. The identity of buffalo LAP with cattle LAP and TAP at nucleotide level was 92.8% and 90.3%. Both at nucleotide and amino acid level buffalo LAP is closer to buffalo EBD followed by cattle LAP and TAP. Phylogenetic tree at nucleotide and amino acid level also showed close relationship of buffalo LAP with buffalo EBD, cattle LAP and TAP. The synthesized LAP fragment had antibacterial activity.     

Arsenic Stress in Plants

Being a toxic metalloid and group I carcinogen, Arsenic (As) poses a threat to plants, especially to crops which are consumed by human beings, and sooner or later results in hyper/hypopigmentation and skin cancer. It is a well‐known fact that South‐East Asia is suffering from groundwater As contamination, and according to a recent report, the contamination has been found also in Hungary, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, United States, etc. Thus, As contamination has become a global problem. As is toxic even at low concentration because it has no known function as nutrients. Arsenite (III) and arsenate (V) are the main phytoavailable forms of inorganic arsenic. Being analogous to phosphate, As(V) is transported by a phosphate‐cotransport system in plants, whereas As(III) is transported through ‘OsNIP2.1’ (member of aquaporin superfamily) in rice. Besides, ‘AsSe1’ (As‐accumulation gene), ‘AsTol’ (As‐tolerance gene) and ‘OsACR2.1’ (an arsenate reductase gene) have also been identified. The production of phytochelatins (PCs), a metal‐binding thiol peptide, in response to As stress may hold a way of proper As tolerance in plants but still needs a thorough study. However, with the proper knowledge of arsenic speciation, transportation, accumulation, overexpression in crop plants may result in ways to develop arsenic tolerant transgenics.